Horizon of Glory
"The Annals of Exploration and Empires," Book III, Chapter XVII, Page 211 In the annals of history, few epochs have been as rife with the promise of adventure and the peril of the unknown as the Age of Discovery. It was a time when the very fabric of the world was being stretched, its edges frayed by the bold hands of explorers and conquerors. Among these intrepid souls, one name, has been etched into the annals of legends. The Wars of the Roses, a conflagration that had consumed the heart of empires and forged kings from the crucible of blood and fire, had at last given way to an uneasy peace. It was in this aftermath, amidst the smoldering ruins of a world reshaped by conflict, that Byron's journey began. Armed with a relic of untold power, the "Navigation Logbook," he set forth into the uncharted waters of the world, where the mundane and the magical intertwined in an intricate dance. The high seas, a vast and uncharted canvas, stretched before him, a horizon that whispered of untold riches and the promise of peril. Great ships, their sails billowing like the wings of colossal birds, traversed these waters, their cannons thundering a challenge to the very gods of the deep. It was an age of ambition, a testament to the unyielding spirit of mankind's quest for dominion over the unknown. Beneath the waves, ancient beings from epochs long past slumbered, their legends carried on the creaking timbers of ships and the roar of cannons. Byron, undaunted by the shadows that lurked beneath the waves or the tempests that raged above, carved out a kingdom from the chaos that enveloped the world. His fleet, a specter of doom, became a symbol of his indomitable will, a force that would not be challenged lightly. This is a saga, a tale woven from the threads of history and magic, adventure and power, and the eternal quest for glory. It is a narrative that compels the heart and captures the imagination, a story that resonates through the ages, a reminder of the heights to which humanity can aspire when driven by the winds of ambition and the tides of destiny. Let this account, penned by the hands of the most esteemed historians and literature masters, serve as a beacon for those who seek to embark upon their own voyages of discovery. For within the pages of this epic tale lies the essence of the human spirit, a spirit that seeks, that conquers, and that endures.
HoG - Chapter 35
Chapter 35: Bloody Mary
Byron casually tossed Salman's corpse to the side and arranged the various ingredients for brewing 'Blood Brew' on the table. The most conspicuous items were a silver shaker and a glass bottle containing about a tenth of its original red liquid.
Byron didn't have time to personally conduct the ritual for brewing 'Transformation Blood,' Nor did he intend to catch a living chef to feed to the 'Bloody Mary's Culinary Recipes.'
Fortunately, Salman's stock was enough for him to mix a cup of 'Bloody Mary' for divination with the Malevolent spirits, with some to spare.
Byron confirmed the mixing steps in his mind several times, took a deep breath, and grabbed the shaker on the table. He added six drops of 'Transformation Blood,' 15 milliliters of pure virgin's blood, and 15 milliliters of vodka aged for more than three years.
Then he added 10 milliliters of wolf peach juice (tomato juice), one drop of devil's hot sauce, two drops of life spring, 10 milliliters of lemon juice, and one drop of spicy oil.
The silver shaker flew up and down in Byron's hands. As he shook the shaker, he carefully blended the spirituality and stimulated the material properties with techniques learned from the 'Bloody Mary's Culinary Recipes.'
After two minutes, feeling the subtle, pleasant emotion from the shaker, he opened the lid and poured the liquid into a glass highball cup. He sprinkled a moderate amount of black pepper and salt, clipped a lemon wedge to the rim, and inserted a celery stick into the cup.
"Phew, I succeeded on the first try!"
Even as an 'attendant,' Byron's abilities in all aspects reached, or even exceeded, human limits. Relying on his precise control of his hands, he followed the recipe to perfectly replicate this not-too-complex 'Blood Brew.'
If a woman were to drink this cocktail, she would show no signs of aging for the next year. Theoretically, she could maintain her youth with one drink per year. Just this small cup of cocktail was enough to drive many upper-class ladies crazy.
This is the power of forbidden knowledge breaking the rules!
Of course, Byron had no interest in using it to please any ladies; instead, he carefully placed it in front of the room's mirror. Pressing it down on the white cloth stained with the finger monkey's blood, he intended to use this drink to perform a ritual, summoning the Malevolent spirit known as Bloody Mary to divine the future!
He lit a white candle on either side of the mirror, closed his eyes, and entered a meditative state, silently calling out the name from the bottom of his heart—Bloody Mary.
After calling out three times, he suddenly felt the room's temperature rise rapidly, even his breathing felt scorching. Opening his eyes abruptly, he saw the other "Byron" in the mirror give him a sinister smile.
As flames engulfed the mirror, his flesh was burned and peeled away, and another figure unfolded from within. Black hair danced in the air, two gem-like blood-red eyes emanated a mesmerizing charm. The fiery red dress wrapped around her slender body like flowing flames; she was like a dancing fire spirit.
It must be said that she was a woman filled with deadly allure, like poison.
The hot currents in the room disappeared, replaced by a bone-chilling cold. Looking at Byron through the mirror, the woman smiled seductively. A crystal-clear, snow-white hand, exuding a chilling cold, slowly extended from the mirror.
It was obviously preparing to take his hand and engage in some very "joyful" activities.
The 'Storm Signet Ring' on Byron's hand suddenly lit up with a circle of cyan-blue electric light. Bloody Mary immediately withdrew her hand as if electrocuted, and in that brief moment of contact, her hand was scorched black.
Clearly, 'Forbidden Knowledge' not only has side effects but also comes with unknown risks during use.
The 'Bloody Mary's Culinary Recipes' has detailed records of this Malevolent spirit. In her lifetime, she was a noble lady whose beauty was renowned throughout the Old Continent, with countless men dying in duels for her, even kings were captivated by her.
It is said that she remained stunningly beautiful into her sixties. But the secret to her beauty was chilling—the blood of young girls!
She used a forbidden knowledge to kill thousands of young girls in her lifetime, bathing in their blood to maintain her eerie charm. It is said that she even drank the blood of young girls to cleanse the impurities within her body.
Her crimes were eventually exposed, and she was burned to death in the castle's bathroom by a group of brave knights.
Without a doubt, Bloody Mary had become a cruel and bloodthirsty Malevolent spirit, with a much higher chance of attacking the summoner than offering help. It is advised to wear a blessed amulet and take adequate protective measures before summoning.
Byron didn't need to go through all that trouble.
The 'Storm Signet Ring' effect: Immune to prophecy-type abilities, immune to curses, and blocks 'Spiritual Vision' spying.
This was Byron's greatest reliance for summoning a Malevolent spirit without hesitation, despite knowing the dangers of forbidden knowledge. Her true form wasn't there; she could only harm through curses.
"Bloody Mary, tell me where the owner of the blood is."
After suffering a loss, Bloody Mary obediently picked up the glass of 'Blood Brew' with her hand, looking very aggrieved as she drank it in one gulp.
The bloodstain on the white cloth also turned into a blood mist and rushed into the mirror. Immediately, the reflection in the mirror was no longer the scene of the room, but the outside of the Rosemary Inn.
The vision lifted, and Byron saw the windmill just a street away, along with several figures lurking in the shadows on alert.
"Found you!"
It felt like the sudden drop of falling asleep, and when Byron steadied himself again, he found that all the anomalies before him had disappeared. Only an empty glass remained before the mirror.
It seemed that everything that had just happened was his illusion. He quickly realized that this was just the information exchange on the spiritual level after offering the 'Blood Brew' as a sacrifice.
Across a great distance, the Malevolent spirit had no direct ability to interfere with reality, except for the offering.
"Pirates should be as aggressive as fire, as swift as wind. At this time, Finger Monkey and the recently injured assailant are likely together. The next move is mine!"
Reloading the four flintlock pistols on his hand, Byron pushed the door open without hesitation.
"Eight Fingers, call the men!"
...
On the second floor of the mill, the 'Magic Mirror' Wester, whose spirituality had returned to his flesh, was vomiting large amounts of blood. The blood was black, with an unmistakable burnt stench, as if it had been scorched by flames.
A torn-up doll lay scattered on the ground. Ignoring his own injuries, he couldn't help but let out a shrill wail.
"The substitute doll I bought with great difficulty from the native witch doctor of the Bantaan Islands, wasted just like that!"
He used the power of the 'Mirror Demon Spirit' but failed to kill the owner of the blood, 'Blood Eye' Salman, and immediately suffered a backlash. If it weren't for the prepared substitute doll, Wester, already severely injured, might have been killed by his own demon spirit.
Even with the help of the substitute doll, it took a great deal of effort to lock the demon spirit back into the mirror.
The 'Magic Mirror' Wester gritted his teeth, his face full of hatred. Although he hadn't seen the attacker's face in the chaos, before fleeing back into the mirror, he heard Salman clearly call the person who rushed in: "Byron."
There are countless Byrons in the world, but who else could be at the scene so coincidentally other than the target, the "Spawn of the Devil" Byron?
He finally realized where the root of today's mistake lay.
After gasping for breath a few times, he managed to get up from the ground. He shook his head vigorously but felt even more dazed. His spirituality was severely injured; now, he couldn't even use his supernatural abilities, let alone his senses were extremely dull.
"Now is not the time for revenge, but I, the 'Magic Mirror' Wester, swear that sooner or later, I will make you die a horrible death!"
The cautious pirate captain still had his wits about him. Now, his strength was less than one-tenth of what it was, not even comparable to an ordinary person. The next thing to consider wasn't revenge on the "Spawn of the Devil" Byron, but immediate relocation.
And absolutely not letting his enemies know about his severe injuries. As an undeniably bad person, his interpersonal relationships were more complex, and he had far more enemies than a good person.
Figuring out how to survive after being injured was the top priority.
"Fortunately, no one other than these close subordinates know about today's assassination attempt. Before my injuries are fully healed, it's best not to return to the 'White Crystal.'"
Having made up his mind, Wester didn't forget to untie a bullhorn cup hanging from his waist and silently recite the inscription: "Clear Spring Flows." Immediately, a steady stream of clear water flowed out.
He meticulously washed away the dried bloodstains and sea salt from his body. Until he was refreshed, only then did he slightly alleviate the discomfort caused by his severe cleanliness obsession.
"Finger Monkey!"
"Finger Monkey?"
However, when he called out to his guard twice without getting any response, he became suddenly alert. But his severely injured spirituality was too dull, and before he could react, the crude wooden floorboards beneath him were pierced by two long spears thrust up from the first floor.
His thigh was also pierced.
The moment he opened his mouth to scream in agony, a figure that had quietly appeared at the second-floor stairway also flung a basket of... cow dung fiercely at him.